hurried over.
“June,” she scolded. “I told you to stay upstairs.”
“But I’m hungry,” June objected.
April started to respond, but I spoke up before she could.
“Go ahead and feed her breakfast,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded, and a grateful look crossed April’s face.
“Thank you,” she said, and then she hurried away.
She returned a few minutes later. She placed a plate of food in front of June, and she tore into the meal with a vengeance.
“Don’t eat so fast,” April scolded, and then she returned to the kitchen.
I watched June eat with an amused smile. Several minutes passed, and then I cleared my throat.
“June,” I said. “I’m sorry you saw that last night.”
“Saw what?”
“Saw me kill those two men.”
“Oh.”
“Did you and your Ma talk about it?”
“Some. Ma said they were bad men,” June said between bites.
“That’s right. They were.”
“Then why are you sorry?”
“I’m not sorry I did it; I’m just sorry you saw it,” I explained.
“Why?”
I scratched my jaw as I pondered that.
“Well, a girl your age shouldn’t see things like that,” I finally said.
June nodded. I studied her, hoping to see signs of understanding, but she looked unconcerned as she continued eating.
“Anyway, I just thought you should know that,” I finally said.
“Mister Lee,” June said suddenly, and she looked up at me through those big, blue eyes.
“Yes?”
“I think my Ma likes you.”
I was startled, and I almost dropped my cigar. I recovered, and then I just stared at her.
“What do you mean? She likes me as a friend?”
“I don’t know; she just likes you,” June shrugged, and then she added, “Sometimes, when Ma thinks I’m asleep, she cries at night. She misses Pa and May. I do too.”
A felt a tug on my heartstrings. I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just nodded slowly.
June returned to her breakfast, and several minutes passed. I just sat there in stunned silence, thinking on what June had said.
“Mister Lee,” June said after a while.
“Yes?” I asked, and I was almost fearful of what she’d say next.
“Your cigar sure does smell. Ma says it’s a nasty habit.”
Again, I was startled. I stared at her for several seconds, but she ignored me as she finished her breakfast.
I shook my head in wonder, and I sighed as I put out my cigar.
Chapter sixteen
Brock spotted Ike and his men returning from town. He walked up to the main house and waited as they dismounted.
“A man’s here to see you, Boss,” he said as he took Ike’s horse. “He’s waiting in your study.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“Says his name is Jeremiah Wisdom.”
“That’s the gambler we sent for,” Butch spoke up.
Ike nodded and turned towards the house. Meanwhile, Butch tied his horse to the hitching post and followed after him.
“Don’t go anywhere,” Ike told Brock. “I’ll need to see you later.”
Brock nodded. He watched as Ike and Butch disappeared inside, and then he led Ike’s horse down to the barn.
***
Jeremiah Wisdom stood as Ike and Butch entered the study.
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Ike said as he walked forward. “I had other business to take care of.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jeremiah replied, and they shook hands.
Jeremiah was in his mid-thirties. An educated man, he was cunning and careful. He was tall and thin, and his face was dark from the sun. He also spoke Apache fluently and wore a Colt on his hip.
Ike sat behind his desk while Butch went to his corner. Jeremiah sat back down, and it was silent as Ike studied him.
“You don’t look like a gambler,” Ike finally said. “You look more like a cowpuncher.”
“I don’t consider myself to be a gambler, so I’ll take that as a compliment,” Jeremiah said.
“Oh?” Ike looked disappointed. “We heard you were an exceptional poker player. That’s why we sent for you.”
“Just because I’m not a gambler
“June,” she scolded. “I told you to stay upstairs.”
“But I’m hungry,” June objected.
April started to respond, but I spoke up before she could.
“Go ahead and feed her breakfast,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded, and a grateful look crossed April’s face.
“Thank you,” she said, and then she hurried away.
She returned a few minutes later. She placed a plate of food in front of June, and she tore into the meal with a vengeance.
“Don’t eat so fast,” April scolded, and then she returned to the kitchen.
I watched June eat with an amused smile. Several minutes passed, and then I cleared my throat.
“June,” I said. “I’m sorry you saw that last night.”
“Saw what?”
“Saw me kill those two men.”
“Oh.”
“Did you and your Ma talk about it?”
“Some. Ma said they were bad men,” June said between bites.
“That’s right. They were.”
“Then why are you sorry?”
“I’m not sorry I did it; I’m just sorry you saw it,” I explained.
“Why?”
I scratched my jaw as I pondered that.
“Well, a girl your age shouldn’t see things like that,” I finally said.
June nodded. I studied her, hoping to see signs of understanding, but she looked unconcerned as she continued eating.
“Anyway, I just thought you should know that,” I finally said.
“Mister Lee,” June said suddenly, and she looked up at me through those big, blue eyes.
“Yes?”
“I think my Ma likes you.”
I was startled, and I almost dropped my cigar. I recovered, and then I just stared at her.
“What do you mean? She likes me as a friend?”
“I don’t know; she just likes you,” June shrugged, and then she added, “Sometimes, when Ma thinks I’m asleep, she cries at night. She misses Pa and May. I do too.”
A felt a tug on my heartstrings. I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just nodded slowly.
June returned to her breakfast, and several minutes passed. I just sat there in stunned silence, thinking on what June had said.
“Mister Lee,” June said after a while.
“Yes?” I asked, and I was almost fearful of what she’d say next.
“Your cigar sure does smell. Ma says it’s a nasty habit.”
Again, I was startled. I stared at her for several seconds, but she ignored me as she finished her breakfast.
I shook my head in wonder, and I sighed as I put out my cigar.
Chapter sixteen
Brock spotted Ike and his men returning from town. He walked up to the main house and waited as they dismounted.
“A man’s here to see you, Boss,” he said as he took Ike’s horse. “He’s waiting in your study.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“Says his name is Jeremiah Wisdom.”
“That’s the gambler we sent for,” Butch spoke up.
Ike nodded and turned towards the house. Meanwhile, Butch tied his horse to the hitching post and followed after him.
“Don’t go anywhere,” Ike told Brock. “I’ll need to see you later.”
Brock nodded. He watched as Ike and Butch disappeared inside, and then he led Ike’s horse down to the barn.
***
Jeremiah Wisdom stood as Ike and Butch entered the study.
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Ike said as he walked forward. “I had other business to take care of.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jeremiah replied, and they shook hands.
Jeremiah was in his mid-thirties. An educated man, he was cunning and careful. He was tall and thin, and his face was dark from the sun. He also spoke Apache fluently and wore a Colt on his hip.
Ike sat behind his desk while Butch went to his corner. Jeremiah sat back down, and it was silent as Ike studied him.
“You don’t look like a gambler,” Ike finally said. “You look more like a cowpuncher.”
“I don’t consider myself to be a gambler, so I’ll take that as a compliment,” Jeremiah said.
“Oh?” Ike looked disappointed. “We heard you were an exceptional poker player. That’s why we sent for you.”
“Just because I’m not a gambler
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